Patricia McKenna
Professor Riley
English 101
16 November 2015
Drug Addicts: Should they Receive Rehabilitation or Go to Prison? People everywhere suffer from the life-ruining disease, drug addiction. A common way people try to escape the hardships of life is to turn to drugs. Once they get into drugs that are highly addictive, such as heroin, they are trapped by a dependency that can be incapacitating. These people are no different than anybody else, they are simply people who made a bad decision and are now stuck. The best thing for these people is to be in a supporting environment to kick the nasty habit they have formed. The place that provides the perfect conditions is rehabilitation centers, not prison. Prison is a very hostile
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Meaning that it is not the addict choosing this life, it is the drug taking over the abuser (Johann). Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse reiterates the fact that addicts are sick by saying, “We need to first recognize that drug addiction is a mental illness.” Also, researchers have shown that most addicts also have psychiatric issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis, ADHD, and other personality disorders (Singer, Kola, and Biegel). So, not only do addicts have a disease that they struggle with day by day but also, often they have other mental issues that need to be treated, some even caused by the addiction. Brig Gen Maktoum al Sharifi, the head of Abu Dhabi Capital Police expressed the same idea by saying, “A drug addict is a sick person and he should be treated as such. Alternative punishment would be more effective. A drug offender could be just an addict, not a criminal” (Jakarta). A person suffering from cancer or bipolar disorder would not be punished and put behind bars so why should someone with a drug addiction? Addictions are frequently caused by deeper reasons that need to be helped and addressed by professionals in order to make a change in addicts’ lives. Addicts usually go in a downward spiral and they often lose everything in their life from their family to their job to a
The victims have a master inside of them who controls every inch of their mind, body, and soul. It only takes a few slip ups to fall deep into the hole of despair. He deceives them but also brings them happiness. The victims have a mental battle with themselves but he is ruthless and shows no mercy. As they continue to disregard the few careless encounters, their condition deteriorates and leads to an addicted relationship with him. Society nowadays has become corrupted with addiction. Drug abuse has become prevalent and is impossible to avoid. There is so much influence around substance abuse that people are usually sucked into it before they learn the dangers of it. Nowadays, people are proposing solutions for this spreading epidemic and suggesting ways to treat people who are already affected. Addiction should be treated as a learning disorder that exacerbates as people mature rather than as there is something wrong with their character. The best feasible solution for treating this epidemic is early intervention. By doing this, potential victims can be educated about the dangers of it and be on the path to a healthy lifestyle.
Many different states have begun sending nonviolent drug offenders to various kinds of drug treatment program the state offers. By doing this, it has significantly reduced the problems with overcrowding. If an individual is arrested and charged with simple possession of a drug and no other crime is being commented, then this person is doing no harm to anyone else. They should be given the opportunity to try and make a change in their life and beat the addiction. Instead, if this person is thrown into jail, they are still going to be an addict with a criminal record now and will not be able to be a contributing member of society. (Everett 1 ).
Addiction has a way of pulling your attention away from your basic needs and making it harder for you to succeed in life. It's a sad truth that I've seen happen to so many people over the years. These are good people, with good brains and real potential, but addiction takes over and they can only focus on that aspect of their life.
Addiction is everywhere, from celebrity tabloids, to television, and possibly to a family member or close friend. There is alcoholism, drug abuse, and gambling addiction; the effects of such are devastating. For example, the following excerpt is from the harrowing Leaving Dirty Jersey: A Crystal Meth Memoir by James Salant:
In the past, law enforcement was taught to arrest anyone distributing or using opioids. The state believed that jail was the best method to get addicts off the streets and to stop using drugs. The issue with this method was when these addicts were released from jail, they went right back to using. United States President Barack Obama, has been working on a plan to reform the nation’s criminal justice program. He proposed that drug courts, which are fundamentally substance-abuse boot camps, are the best way to help treat addiction (Redmond A3+). Obama’s plan involved getting rid of mandatory minimum sentences, which he believed would also be a very cost saving solution. Obama stated, “We should invest in alternatives to prison, like drug courts and treatment and probation programs which ultimately can save tax payers thousands of dollars each year” (Redmond A3+). The problem with Obama’s method is that he does not seem to be concerned about the mental health of these
Addicts use drugs to overcome their feelings. If an addict is feeling sad, happy, or angry, they use. This leads to their addictions. After a while, the addict can’t hold a steady job,
Addictions can easily ruin a relationship with family, friends, coworkers, and can often lead to the loss of a job. If the individual is already struggling to keep their job, their addiction will begin to escalate. Since addictions like alcohol, drugs, and gambling involve money, funds decrease rapidly causing many to lose homes. While addiction is a cause of homelessness, it can also be a result. Many homeless become dependent on drugs and alcohol to cope with their current situations. Although it may briefly increase their happiness and lessen their pain, it also decreases their chances of getting off the streets and back on their feet. However addictions are hard to break, especially for those who feel like their last
The United States is desperately in need of prison and criminal justice reform. The current system miserably fails at lowering recidivism rates, limiting prison populations and rehabilitating drug and alcohol addicts. This is because very few prisoners receive drug treatment in prison, and those who do receive inadequate treatment. Fortunately, there are a multitude of upcoming drug treatment techniques that have proven effective in treating addiction. As a result of refining drug treatment in American prisons, not only will more drug addicts overcome their addiction, but the prison population will be reduced and the United States improve financially.
Drug programmes have existed within the criminal justice system for many years, but IDTS’s system relies heavily on evidence-based work with individuals as well as individual focus classes, which facilitate consistent treatments for prisoners to rebuild their lives. With 75,000 problem drug users entering the prison system on a yearly basis the scale of the problem is potentially huge, especially when one third of all suicides in prisons take place within the first week of incarceration. Tackling this could be addressed by looking at statistics taken from this NHS review, breaking down the important matters concerning the vulnerabilities of peo-ple within the criminal justice system. This report looks at the effectiveness/suitability of these programmes with respect to vulnerable prisoners.
Addiction is all around us. It may be that cup of coffee in the morning for the caffeine stimulation, the cigarette that is smoked for the nicotine, or an alcoholic drink used to relieve a stressful day or situation. For some, the addiction may not be to a substance, but to compulsive behaviors such as gambling, playing video games, or shopping. Consequences to addictions can impact an addict’s physical or mental state. Addiction can also have detrimental impact on the people that surround them. Watching a relationship fall apart because a person has an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or another addictive behavior is a sad thing to happen to anyone. Unfortunately, those with addictions usually won’t admit they even
Drug addiction is a complex problem in society today. Addiction is a condition that extremely affects the person’s mind and body. Addiction also has wide sweeping effects on that person’s social connection and functioning. Unfortunately, many addicts don’t realize the social influence of their addiction until much of their functioning has greatly deteriorated.
Drug and alcohol addiction is a very serious and widespread problem in America, and across the globe. Drug addiction is a constant craving, seeking, and using of a substance, despite the negative consequences it may have on the addict or those around them. When drug use becomes more frequent, it is considered drug abuse. Once an individual’s drug abuse is can no longer be controlled, and they are using the drug to get through everyday life, it beomes an addiction. A person on drugs has an altered way of thinking, behaving, and perceiving. There are treatment facilities all over the world dedicated to help those suffering with drug addictions. All
Many people believe that drug addicts should be treated as criminals. When it comes to the topic of drug addicts, most of us will readily agree that they should be put in jail because some of them might go to far and try to harm someone while being on drugs. Where this agreement usually ends however, people don’t look at the fact that the drug addicts probably have a lot of problems, and just need help. Whereas some are convicted that they could go to a rehab center and get the help they need, others maintain that going to jail would take them off the streets so that they won 't harm anything or anyone. Although, I 've always believed that drug addicts should not be treated as criminals, but as having a medical problem.
It is common knowledge that America has the world’s largest population of prisoners, and in 2008, a study was completed by the Pew Charitable Trusts which indicated that half of the inmates in jail and prison are serving time for nonviolent drug charges (http://www.pewstates.org/news-room/press-releases/new-pew-study-finds-36-percent-increase-in-prison-time-served-85899394970). Since the “War on Drugs” approach about forty years ago, the criminalization of the addict has done very little to address the problem of substance abuse in society. While there is no one clear cause of substance abuse, there have been patterns identified in substance abusers, that may be the underlying factors that lead to the addiction. Some of these factors include mental health and biology.
Addictions are very dangerous emotionally, psychologically, and physically. There are three main points to an addiction - the actual addiction and the symptoms, the addiction cycle (downhill spiral), and how to treat or where to treat an addiction. This essay will outline the main points for an addict and will serve as a guide for an addict or family of an addict.